9 Classic Horror Films To Watch By Yourself This Halloween

Halloween is all about watching horror films and to make things scarier, why not try to watch some by yourself? Challenge yourself to watch any one of these nine classic horror films by yourself, if you dare. There’s no one to hold on to and no one to hide behind, it’s just you and whatever terrifying film you choose to watch. To make things even scarier, you’ve got to watch the film in the dark, if you’re brave enough.

The Exorcist (1974)

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Widely regarded as one of the best and scariest horror films ever made, there’s no way The Exorcist wasn’t going to make the list. It’s about a young girl getting horribly possessed by a demon and many of the scenes are so disturbing and effective that when it was released in cinemas, there were reports of cinema goers fainting, vomiting and walk-outs.

2. The Blair Witch Project (1999)

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The first found footage-style horror movie to become a huge success, The Blair Witch Project is enough to put anyone off going camping in the woods. It was a runaway success because of how scared it made people, even though it doesn’t rely on things like violence and jump scares like what many other horror films do.

3. The Shining (1980)

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Regarded as one of the best horror films ever made, The Shining slowly builds up tension as writer Jack Nicholson gradually loses his mind while working as a caretaker at the Overlook Hotel. Staying in the hotel with him are his wife and his young son, who possesses ‘the shining’, a psychic ability that allows him to discern the hotel’s creepy and violent history.

4. The Ring (2002)

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This is the one with the videotape that if you watch it, you’re meant to die seven days later. The film relies on creepy visuals and dread instead of violence and gore, which makes it a great one to watch alone – for even more scares, watch the original Japanese film, which not only has a more complex plot, but also a lot more scares…

5. Silence of the Lambs (1991)

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Highly praised by critics for its storyline and the actors’ performances, Silence of the Lambs focuses on a young FBI trainee seeking the advice of an imprisoned cannibalistic killer to help her track down another serial killer. What makes this film particularly creepy is Anthony Hopkins’ very impressive and convincing portrayal of a cannibal.

6. A Tale of Two Sisters (2003)

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A creepy and quite disturbing Korean psychological horror, A Tale of Two Sisters tells the story of a released mental patient who returns home with her sister only to find their rather secluded home is being haunted. It’s somewhat disturbing and scary throughout, with a very big twist at the end that ties the hauntings together with the sister’s stay in the mental home in a brilliant and unexpected way.

7. Rosemary’s Baby (1968)

via Cinemajam.com

This very creepy and sinister film is about a pregnant woman who fears a satanic cult is planning something to do with her unborn child. Hailed as a classic of the horror genre, Rosemary’s Baby paved the way for numerous other films focusing on satanism and black magic.

8. The Omen (1976)

via Sciencefiction.com

Damian, the son of an American diplomat and his wife is thought to be somehow connected to a number of strange occurrences and deaths. Could he really be the actual Antichrist? Full of suspense, horror and deaths that are memorable for the wrong reasons, The Omen is a classic of the genre.

9. The Woman in Black (2012)

via Travellingfilmshow.co.uk

Many went to see this film because it was Daniel Radcliffe’s first film since the final Harry Potter one was released. However, it still managed to do well in terms of critical reception and had many scared out of their wits thanks to its frequent jump scares.

I'm a Classics graduate and have been writing for over three years. Hopefully going to go into novel writing some day. I'm mostly interested in theme parks and roller coasters - I've been on 300 coasters and plan on going on lots more!